A concern of an actor… “What if you coach someone else for the role?”

It has been brought to my attention that there are two reasons actors have decided not to work with me as a coach in the past.  I had heard one but the other I heard not too long ago; so I wanted to touch on them very quickly.  Please know that I am not offended for either.

1.  The coach will be auditioning for some of the same roles I am or coaching others for the same roles I may go in for; so I don’t want to work with him or her.

2.  He is so young. I don’t want to learn acting from someone younger than me.

Ok, so those are the two things I heard and here are my thoughts.  And I am not THAT young, but thank you for the compliments 🙂

1.  Very seldom do I audition for the same roles as my students.  As for TV auditions, I have been fortunate to have had some wonderful bookings from co-star to guest star as well as a few series regular roles for pilots.  With that being said, I don’t audition for co-star roles anymore.  The more your resume grows the more you should continue to move up on the size of roles you will accept.  The same as you don’t want to have any extra work on your resume because casting will assume that is all you do; plus, it is very unprofessional. (Refer to the post on resume for more info).  In the same light, I don’t want too many co-star roles because it would seem like I am not growing as an actor.   I can go into that further later if you have more questions.  Now, part 2 of question number 1.  Yes, I usually coach a few different people for the same roles; BUT, you are nothing like anyone else.  Remember that because it is very important here.  Even though the parameter for the characters are the same that both actors get from casting, it doesn’t mean two actors playing the same role are going to be anything like each other.  I coach for each individual person.  The same as I use different techniques and methods for different people.  I will find what it is that you bring to the role.  No matter what casting does not see the character, they see you.  Also, you guys have to realize that I want you to book like crazy!  It makes me look great!  Even if we were in for the same role and you book it, I am super happy for you!  Knowing this industry, I know that there are so many things from height to hair color to your ex-boyfriend that can play a factor in whether you book a role or not.  I shit you not, I have lost a role because the directors girlfriend called me “Deany Baby” while she was sitting with him going through audition submissions.  He didn’t think it was cute.  Yes, that happened.

2.  Thank you again for thinking I am so young.  I will tell you about how I keep my skin so smashing in another article ;).  Let me say this, I am 31 and have done nothing but train and act since I was 16.  I started modeling and working for an agency on and off when I was 15.  I am pretty good at a lot of things (yeah I got it like that).  However, there is one thing I always wanted to be great at and it is acting.  I coached with some of the top coaches Los Angeles had to offer.  I worked for casting offices, I have been a reader, an agent, and have been on the production side of things from as an assistant to the producer, a Director, a first AD, and so on and so forth.   Now, although, I have studied with a lot of coaches, the one I call the “father” of my acting career, my mentor, my Dirty Jewish step-father is a man named Aaron Speiser.  This is the only coach Will Smith has ever had.  He is the genius behind so many talented, award-wining actors, it would be stupid to try to name them all.  He has been my acting anchor for over 12 years now.  I am not saying I am him, because, to me, he is a god amongst men when it comes to acting.  Hopefully, he doesn’t read this because I don’t need his head to grow too much :).  I am not an acting coach; I am just very aware of human behavior and I help people get out of their own way to find the truth.  I don’t want to teach you to act.  Anyone can do that, usually without direction.   You are free to come sit in on a class or do a private session with me to see if we fit well together.  If not, I have no problem helping people find a coach that will fit your needs.  I just warn people to not let their ego get in the way of learning your craft.  If you feel like I can’t coach you because I am younger, then ask yourself why?  Our Ego is a very strong little man sitting in our heads.  He plants an idea in your brain, then, somehow, you feel this way.  There are many things you can do to fix that and I can help you; but if I feel like you can’t get over it and it continues to bother you, then, yes, I would say I am not the right coach for you.

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